Abstract: The polar research icebreaking vessel Xuelong 2 has been designed with research in an addition to transportation in mind. To meet the experimental needs of multiple scientific disciplines, the design concept of modularity and flexibility in a limited laboratory space has been adopted. Laboratory efficiency is enhanced by constructing a large laboratory that can meet the general requirements of all disciplines as much as possible. Flexible design ensures that special needs of different disciplines can be met. Combining the deployment of a mobile container laboratory with a rotating shift schedule greatly increases the number of experiments that can be accommodated. The design concepts of modularity and flexibility are implemented through the use of modular test benches, flexible water and electricity systems, standard fixed equipment and intelligent terminals. A modern icebreaking polar research vessel needs to satisfy the conflicting requirements of research and transportation. Long voyages often provide short windows for data collection. Vessel size limits variety and volume of laboratory space. However, these limitations have been effectively resolved through comprehensive design planning taking into consideration of many disciplines.

Key words: Xuelong 2, research icebreaking vessel, polar, ship-borne laboratory, modular assembly, test bench function belt, flexible layout, standardized fixed installation